Who's For The Game?
by EternalSushi
Summary: A dark future descends upon Dawnclan and The Hatch (a 'clan' in town) as chaos breaks loose after series of horrific events. Tensions rise, cats die, paranoia spreads like the plague. Who's the culprit hiding in the mist? Would our cats live? Would their sanity crumple? Someone's controlling them. Someone wants them gone. Who's For The Game? T for violence and a bit of gore.
1. Introduction

_**Who's For The Game**_

* * *

**Intro/Background**

For fellow twolegs, Verndoss is a dying town filled with warm communities. The only comfortable way out is by train; the other way is to crawl through a forest kilometers wide. It used to be a bustling industrial hotspot, though all good things must come to an end, and factories are now mere shells and walls that protect the inner town from harsh winter winds. Not the best place to live in.

For fellow cats, Verndoss is a dying town filled with warm communities. The adaptable group of strays, **The Hatch**, lives in an abandoned warehouse at the outskirts of town, while **Dawnclan** (which is way more inclined on tree-loving) resides within the forest, following traditional rules of nature. The forest cats enjoy the occasional gust of fresh air, while the town cats breathe in smog; under dry winds, however, the cats in the warehouse snuggle up for toasty indoor warmth, whilst the forest cats hug trees and hide under leaves, which isn't nearly as blissful. Not the best place to live in, either.

What a party.

* * *

**The Hatch:**

**Leader:** Zenith (F)

**Scout: **Zephyr (F)

**Members: **

Delta (F)

Echo (M)

Sage (F)

Torrent (M)

Serene (F)

(more to be updated!)

* * *

**Dawnclan:**

**Leader: **Dawnstar (F)

**Deputy: **Nightglaze (M)

**Warriors: **

Ferntail (F)

Starbreak (M)

Crowfleck (M)

Briarpelt (M)

Hazelpaw/Hazelstripe (F)

Petalspring (F)

(more to be updated!)


	2. I've Found Her

(Please fav/review! It really makes my day and gives me more motivation to write on! :D )

**I've Found Her**

* * *

It was a fun day.

"Oh for crying out loud, Serene, stop running!"

The fern politely gave way as three cats dashed through the forest, one's frantic pawsteps quickly followed by the others'. A Siamese was leading the charge – young, about eight moons old, though seemingly eager to showcase her speed. "Too fast, Delta?" she retorted with a snicker then bolted ahead, kicking up dust with every kick, which, to her amusement, earned her coughs of disgust.

"Serene, listen to Delta!" cried Echo with a huff, shaking his head to get rid of the dust on his fur. The gray tabby was deeply annoyed, and so was his companion. "You're straying too far from the warehouse! If you get lost, we'd never find you!"

"Well, you better not lose me then!" Serene laughed, taking a zigzag approach as she maneuvered around the trees, making the other two scramble in order to catch up. They'd never outrun her when she could run anywhere! "And without further ado…I'll see you!"

The she-cat took a quick detour, catching the two by surprise by disappearing under a row of ferns. "Wait!" Delta and Echo skidded to a halt, anxious and concerned as she disappeared from sight. Now what? That area had always been dangerous territory, unknown to The Hatch and its cats, and out of all places, Serene actually decided to go that way? Echo sighed and sat down, frowning while trying to locate her scent. Nothing - the area was too moist and unfamiliar to him. "Great…"

Plop. Plop. Plop. Drops of rain water dripped down from above, abandoning the leaves that they had lingered on, and splat – struck Delta right on her head. The golden tabby hissed at the budding rain and joined Echo, plopping down beside him. Her emerald eyes were nearly glowing with annoyance. "I don't know about you, Echo, but I don't know what's worse – going back to the warehouse and telling Zenith about this, or the fact that we couldn't even catch a cat that's two months younger than us," she said, then groomed herself, then let out another burst of anger. "And she doesn't even train!"

"You can go in and find her," said Echo, controlling his emotions better than any other cat, "Though you'd probably get lost as well. We should head back; the rain is getting annoying."

He was right. Nature's timing had always been biased yet justified, punishing them whenever they went too far. Now, the rain was pouring with no mercy, soaking the two cats and giving them a free bath. What else could they do? Delta might of been rash, but Echo was glad he wasn't.

"And you're not even coming with me? Great friend you are." Delta scoffed and got to her paws, turning back to glare at Echo. After receiving a casual shrug from the blue-eyed tom, Delta snorted and stepped into the ferns, tail lifted high and eyes looking forward.

"I'll be waiting here if you need me. You'll find my scent!" came a voice from behind, but she couldn't care less. She'd be fine! The rain was nasty and the plants were a pain, but there was nothing that a little bit of bravery couldn't do. Foolish Echo! She couldn't even tell if he was a coward, or if he was just lazy, and after pondering about it for a few seconds, she assumed that he was both.

"…Serene?"

That newfound confidence didn't last for long, however, as Delta soon realized that locating a small cat within a maze of green wouldn't be a casual stroll in the park. Which way was back? She could only move forward, squinting her eyes as the skies continued to bombard her with showers of rain. As Delta went on, she started to notice how quiet it was as well, which was quite peculiar – just like her, Serene had never managed to stay silent for more than a few minutes, even during hide and seek! Other than the alluring sounds of rain-static conducted by the downpour, there was nothing that could guide her path. "Okay, Serene, this isn't funny anymore! Come out!" even Delta's loud voice was drowned out by the rain, her shouts and cries seemingly powerless under nature's wrath.

Then, she saw her. Gaining speed and feeling relief, Delta scrambled for the figure and emerged from the ferns, ending up on a small grass plain clear of trees and tall grass. And then, in the middle of the plain, behind the curtain of rain, laid a familiar figure.

Serene.

"Gosh, there you are! I—"

Delta froze, then, after staggering forwards, let out an earsplitting screech. A sense of dread and terror began to take over, climbing, creeping, crawling up her spine, demanding for attention. Slowly, ruby-red liquids dragged itself along the grass and pooled by her paws, making her jump back in horror. She looked at her paws, stained in crimson like the mark of crime.

What…this couldn't…

Delta gingerly stepped forward, eyes locked onto the figure that rested before her. She could recognize that Siamese pelt anywhere, but even that had been stained in red. The young cat was lying there, lifeless, eyes wide and glazed. There was no breathing, no struggling; everything stood still. Her fur was no longer bristling with life and instead, under the punishment of rain, fell heavily against her flesh.

"S-Serene…this isn't funny…!" Delta stepped forth again, trembling and wanting to cry. How could this be Serene, the one that was running free, running wild? The sobbing she-cat wanted answers and, mustering strength from grief, she kneaded the body and let it rest on its back. She was afraid; she didn't know what to do! Was this all a dream?!

"This c-can't be happening—" Looking down, Delta was met with Serene's emotionless gaze, her lifeless stare almost piercing through her young innocent soul.

She couldn't take it. Serene was looking back at her, her eyes seemingly saying: 'Why! Why didn't you catch me! Why were you so slow? Why!"

With a cry of angst, Delta quickly turned away, unable to take in the truth in front of her. Deep breathing. Deep breathing, Delta. S-stay strong. Ever so slowly, she turned back and searched the body with her eyes, trying to find a reason behind this while also avoiding Serene's traumatizing gaze.

"A…A slash wound…" Delta found it – a large slash trekking all across Serene's stomach. Her skin was gaping open; it was bloody, wet…fresh. Dark blood continued to ooze from the wound, tinkling down her body and mixing with the cold rain. Delta wanted to puke.

"Del? I heard your scream and I decided to come after you."

Delta turned and met Echo's gaze, a grim expression spread across her face. "W-we need to find Zenith."

"Why?" Echo frowned, oblivious to the body behind his close friend. "You've found Serene?"

"…I have."


	3. Seeds of Paranoia

**Seeds of Paranoia**

* * *

"Echo, Zenith would like to talk to you now. She figured that you'd be more reliable to talk to."

Echo looked up at the grooming she-cat and gave her a curt nod, heaving himself up with a grunt. They had returned to the warehouse all thanks to Zephyr's help, yet even then he couldn't feel safe at his own home. "Is...Delta alright?"

Zephyr peered down at the tom, pondered at the question for a while and then concluded, "Well, let's just say that she isn't complaining about rotten fresh-kill for once."

With a snort, she turned around, swished her tail to wave goodbye and strode away.

"Right. Thanks."

Echo huffed; the scout's words had come off a bit brash, but he figured that she was just being herself - before this, any criticism had simply bounced off her silky smooth fur, and even the sharpest tongues had failed to penetrate her sleek silver pelt. Plus - he wasn't in the position to complain. At the corner of his eye, he managed to spot Delta bolting out of the leader's room, sobbing and trembling until she collapsed into a ball of chaotic emotions.

"Delta?"

Poor Delta; It hadn't been easy for her. Echo could sense the growing grief beneath her grubby fur. Her cries echoed faintly across the empty interior, and each whimper spawned a crack in the depths of his heart.

"Delta...I…"

Raising a paw, Echo hesitated, then lowered it down again. There was nothing he could do to help her. Deciding to leave her be for the time being, Echo silently wished her for the best and slid right past her, stepping into Zenith's quarters. To be honest, it wasn't much; the room itself was almost empty, and the only salvageable furniture were the old desk and chair in the middle.

"There you are."

A black she-cat leaped down from her makeshift bed and met his gaze, sitting down a meter away while staring intently at the tom. "The only thing I could gather from Delta is that...our Serene has died." The last part seemed to had made her hesitate, as if even she was uncertain about this. "...Tell me more, Echo. You were there, right?"

"It's a long story, Zenith…" said Echo with a sigh, seemingly troubled by the situation. Her mood was now in his control, yet her determined amber eyes made it clear that she wanted the painful truth. "I wasn't with Delta when she went into the ferns. That's where she found Serene. I mean, I wanted to stay back so she could come back to me after the search...and...yeah." He didn't want to seem like a coward, but he feared that his explanation hadn't done him much justice.

Zenith wasted no time to commented on that matter and pressed on. "And there she was, standing beside Serene's body?"

"Yeah...she was in shock. I could see her trembling even from afar."

"And her paws were stained red?"

"I think so. I don't really remember."

"I see…"

"Why? Is there something-"

"Echo...I advise you to be very cautious around Delta."

What? Blinking in confusion, the young tom's face housed a sky of questions. Was she joking? Cautious about what?

As if Zenith had read his mind, she sighed and placed a paw above the other in a rather intimidating fashion. "Serene didn't die by natural causes, right?"

Echo wasn't ready for this question and spaced out for a few moments. "I...I…no. I saw a wound on her belly."

"Then you'd know what I mean."

It finally hit him. Echo stood up and glared at his leader, taking a few step backward. This couldn't be; he couldn't accept this. After that terrifying experience...she...she…

"You're saying that she's the killer?!"

"I'm not saying that she has to be, but the evidence is against her." Zenith said, squinting her eyes. Her ears flicked out of annoyance.

"You're accusing her! You're the leader of The Hatch!" Echo spat with a snarl. How dared she?! A sense of betrayal began to overwhelm him. "And you're blaming your own cats for her death?!"

Zenith seemed unfazed. "You're defending her?"

"Well, yeah, since I don't think she-"

"Do you know the situation better than I do? The actual event that happened in the midst of ferns? You're defending her because you're her friend and not because she's definitely innocent."

"...No, I-" Echo frowned, and upon failing to come out with a counter argument, he sat down, defeated. "Well what if a fox did it? What if Dawnclan did it?"

"...What?"

"What if Dawnclan had a grudge against one of us and wanted revenge? Since neither of us know what happened, my guess is as good as yours."

Zenith froze. "Are...are they coming? You think so?"

"Who? Dawnclan? I don't know! That was just a guess! Why?"

Without waiting for his response she had already turned away, seemingly troubled and worried. Her tail began to curl around her body as if it was afraid of being alone. From where he was sitting, Echo could see the corner of her eyes, amber shifting frantically in the sea of white.

He could see it - fear. Fear and panic. Had he said something wrong? Why was Dawnclan scaring her so much? Echo frowned - she knew a lot more than she was letting on. Was that why she was paranoid? "Zenith? What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"You're obviously lying."

"Hmph. You're smarter than you look."

"And you're looking way more tense than you did moments ago."

She sighed. "You reminded me of a dream from last night. A dream of crimson and deformed figures." Visions began to return to the leader as she muttered under her breath. "These dreams...you can say that it's our version of a 'prophecy'."

"What happened in the dream?"

"I barely remember, but it wasn't enjoyable."

"Well, what's the prophecy? Is it bad?"

Zenith wasn't in the mood to explain. For some reason, she seemed to be in a rather nerve-wracking state, a sharp contrast of what she had always been. "I-It is. In short, from what I can gather from the words, Dawnclan might come. And if they do, it won't end well for us."

Echo paused in realisation. "Wait, Dawnclan actually has a grudge against you?"

No reply, but he felt that he had struck something hugely important, something he shouldn't interfere with. Did they really come for revenge?

Was Serene their first target?

A chilly gust of wind glazed past, and the two turned and watched as the scout walked into the room, surprising her by how serious they looked. Confused, Zephyr cleared her throat and turned to the leader. "Sorry, but a Dawnclan cat is here to find you."

Oh boy.

"Already?" Zenith shot up and marched off. Echo could see her claws unsheathing from the distance, and quickly followed with a bad feeling in mind.

"Zenith, r-relax, it was just a guess-"

"Hush! It all makes sense now. They're coming to take it back..."

Take what back?

"-And I won't let them."

"Zenith, wait! What's going on?!"

Echo watched in horror as his leader charged into the main hulk of the warehouse, frantically searching for the intruder. Where was he?! Were they here to mess with her? As each second went by, Zenith felt like she was being mocked, mocked by Dawnstar and her blasted clan. If they really wanted it, then come get it! Feeling an overwhelming sense of pressure, Zenith's gaze eventually landed on a turquoise figure that sat in the middle of the room, and something snapped within her.

Without second thought, she lunged, teeth bared.

Thud!

"L-Let go! Ack!" The cat was forced on his back from the impact, gasping for breath as claws began to press against his neck. Even Delta, who was sitting at the side of the room, began to uncover her eyes and watch in disbelief. Had everyone gone mad?

"Briarpelt, so it's you!" She bellowed, glaring at the struggling cat beneath her. "Did you think you can just stroll over and take another one of us?!"

Echo watched in complete horror. This wasn't like Zenith at all! She had always been calm, reserved, calculative...so what could possibly drive her to a near-insanity state like this? "Zenith! You're going too far! What's gotten into you?!" Briarpelt began to gag from the force, realizing that his end was near. His tail and paws were flailing, trying to push her off to no avail. "I...don't...k-know what you're talking about!" Echo couldn't help but notice that something had gone horribly wrong - even Zenith wasn't sure about the causes of Serene's death! How was she so sure now? What had triggered this anger and paranoia?

"You liar!"

Upon seeing this, Delta looked away and buried her head into her paws, letting out a muffled scream. No! No more deaths! Was blood going to be shed again?

"Ladies, ladies...calm down!"

An alluring voice caught everyone's attention, and even the trembling leader began pulling back, inhibiting her outflow of anxiety. She squinted her eyes, staring at the familiar cat who stood by the entrance. Now in the spotlight, he took a step forward, his body casting a large shadow above them as the sunlight seeped in from behind.

"I...I recognize that voice..." Zenith whispered under her breath. It was another Dawnclan cat; a deputy. "Nightglaze."

The black tabby grinned back in response. His eyes were very expressive with the hue of light aqua, and they succeeded in capturing everyone's attention. Was he going to start a fight, or stop it? Echo knew that he had the power to do both.

"Oh my, that's not how you should treat a warrior, Zenith!" Standing tall, Nightglaze chuckled in amusement. "Or is that how you treat everyone in this shadowy place?"

Zenith nearly fainted on the spot. "Shadowy?" She breathed out, images of the dream even more vivid than before. It was all coming back to her.

They were going to die.

She was now trembling once more, her paws too weak to strike the trapped cat. Was...was it him? "H-he fits the vision. The words…"

"T-the words...t-they said…"

Zenith's eyes were wide with fright. Nightglaze simply continued smiling as he approached her.

"The end of one begins the end of all, and the name of shadows will one day crack the skies."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Kind of a rather lengthy chapter, so forgive me for that! :P


	4. Invitation

(Please fav/review! It really makes my day and gives me more motivation to write on! :D )

**Invitation**

* * *

In the midst of intimidation, the cats held their breaths. The mysterious cat known as Nightglaze continued with his slow composed stride, his pawsteps calm and reserved; it was almost like he had calculated every movement to make sure they're perfect and precise.

"Why the scared face, Zenny? It's like you've seen someone from Starclan!"

The air was damp, yet somehow everyone's throats had gone dry from the encounter. Nightglaze stopped and glanced at the rest, his aquamarine eyes piercing and glowing with intrigue. Had something happened before his visit?

"Huh. Last time I came, you lot weren't nearly as nervous. Although, I do understand that it's been a while." He sat down and wrapped his tail around his body. Briarpelt, seeing that all eyes were on his clanmate, frantically rushed to his side, sitting beside him for protection.

"Get out. Now." With her claws aching for a Dawnclan-cat scratching post, Zenith's fur bristled in anger. Echo and Delta eventually stood up as well, regrouping with each other and watching on alert.

Nightglaze appeared to be rather confused, but remained unfazed. "We mean no harm."

"Oh yeah? Then why are you here?"

"Well dear, why don't you sit down in a less hostile manner and let us tell you?"

Zenith hissed and sat down, unsheathing her claws. Were they taunting her? Laughing silently at her incapability to chase them off? She hadn't dared to make a move, knowing that the dream might be referring to this exact event. Would she be the one to provoke all that?

Although embarrassing, she reluctantly concluded that playing safe would be their best bet should they need to stay alive. "What'd you want?"

A purr escaped the Dawnclan deputy, followed by a yawn. "Thanks, Zenny. You see, we are holding a feast back at camp, and Dawnclan would like to invite you to drop by."

"Is that where you'd kill us?" Zenith blurted out, still obviously shaken by her dream. The paranoia was budding within her, blooming from seeds of evil. She was almost blinded by the plague of worry, unable to think of anything else but the fact that something wanted them dead, whether it be Dawnclan or not.

"Oh for Starclan's sake, stop thinking that we'd kill you!" Briarpelt jumped into the conversation, glaring at the leader with a huff. "You nearly killed _me_ when I came! And I thought I'd be fine without Nightglaze's help! What's bugging you guys, really?"

The she-cat leader's face turned bright pink, yet she stayed resilient by gritting her teeth, trying to act strong. She decided to ignore Briarpelt's question and looked at Nightglaze at the corner of her eye. "What's this...feast?"

"You know how traditional clans had those ceremonies? Ones where the apprentice turned into a full-fledged warrior?" Nightglaze asked, earning a few puzzled nods. His soothing voice still contained an air of confidence, yet it had this magic to it that calmed everyone down. Perhaps it was just that; perhaps it was the others finally realizing that maybe Dawnclan hadn't come to kill them.

"Well, we do something similar, but without the formal mumbo-jumbo. We have a big feast. Piles and piles of the best fresh-kill. Fish, shrews, voles..." Nightglaze continued while casually wagging his tail, rambling on about their stack of food.

Meanwhile, all the food-talk was making Echo water in anticipation. He leaned towards Delta and gave her a light nudge on the side. "Phew, I'm glad they've calmed down. I guess Zenith overreacted and thought that the prophecy's about them." He whispered. "What a false alarm. We get food if we go too!"

"I-I won't be so certain just yet. We don't know what's going to happen later on." Delta said, though she seemed to had other things on her mind. She then looked away and sighed. "I just...you know...Serene…someone must have done it. That cat's out there. If it's not this strange Nightglaze fellow, it might be someone else."

Serene. The sudden reminder made him sit there, speechless. Delta had always treated Serene as her younger sister, and seeing that traumatizing scene was probably going to scar her for life. Echo could only hope, faintly, that she'd still be the same loud and happy she-cat in the future. "I...I'm sorry…"

"No offense taken, Echo…" Turning around to face the young tom, they stared into each other's eyes and exchanged a sad smile. Completely blocking off Nightglaze and his advertisement, they had the moment to themselves. Inching a bit closer, Echo nuzzled lightly against her neck. His shyness hadn't been able to stop him. "I have a feeling that we'll need to stick together in the future. So...please do."

Nuzzling back, Delta's watery eyes shimmered with bittersweet joy. "...Agreed, Echo...I'm not losing you too."

"...Anyway, dear, our precious apprentice Hazelpaw is now ten moons old, and will be elevated to a warrior. She has also been a great hunter, clocking in with two hundred fresh-kill already! This feast is for her. Say, don't you have a few cats her age?" Looking to the left, Nightglaze spotted the two young ones and held a light chuckle. "This would be interesting. Well, what do you think, Zenny?"

"Yeah, don't call me that." Zenith muttered with gritted teeth before getting up, padding towards him with one paw in front of the other. Upon arriving, she pressed her forehead against his. "And I think I don't trust you enough just yet. I'm declining-"

"We're accepting," came a voice from behind, short and direct. Pulling out, Zenith glanced behind her shoulder and glared as Zephyr walked in. Who did she think she was? The scout ignored the stare and snorted at Nightglaze, explaining her decision. "It'll be a good way to know more about each other."

Zenith then understood - Zephyr wanted to learn more about them and gather more information about the clan. Perhaps they could even eavesdrop on their plans...if they had one anyway. "...Fine. We're going."

"Great!" Nightglaze's smile grew into a broad grin. "Well, there's not much time to lose. Bring your cats and follow me, if you please."

"If you say so."

Standing up, the deputy held his tail erect and began trotting away, stopping by the entrance to wait for the others. Zenith grunted at his excitement - what a child. With a flick of her own tail, she called for Echo, Delta, and Zephyr as well as Sage and Torrent - other cats from The Hatch. "Sage, Torrent, I'd like you to say here; we need someone to stay back and guard our food and resources. Everyone else...let's go."

Looking ahead, Zenith swallowed her intimidation with a gulp and led the others, following Nightglaze's lead with heavy, uncertain pawsteps. What would be waiting for them at the camp?

"I have a bad feeling about this, Echo…" Delta whispered, scurrying to her friend's side for warmth and a sense of protection.

"I don't blame you, but I feel like everything would be just fine."

Would it?

After what had seemed like a day of walking, the clowder finally came to a stop before a pair of tall, broad willows. The lush green trees towered above them, looking quite menacing due to their heights. If Dawnclan wanted to chase cats away from the area, Echo would admit that they had done a great job with the decor.

"Here's the easily-spot entrance to Dawnclan, in case our scent markers haven't been obvious enough," said Nightglaze, beaming with pride. "The clan's right behind these ferns."

Brushing them away (in slight annoyance), Nightglaze leaped over a tree root and entered the camp, the scent of Dawnclan cats flooding into their nostrils. Zenith snorted at his words, but upon stepping in with Echo and the others, they blinked in surprise, mesmerized by the sight. Not only was the camp neatly organized and symmetrical, but the grass was soft and fresh - perfect cats to sleep on. The sturdy trees that surrounded the waterside area allowed soft cool breezes from the water to dance across their camp, limiting only the harsh hostile winds. Even Delta couldn't help but breathe out in amazement - it looked just like a dream! "Woah…"

Orange sunlight glazed across the grounds, the sun setting at the distance behind two mountaintops. Between the mountain and the cats stood a huge lake, broader than anything she had ever seen before. Their dens, formed by natural stone piles along the side of camp, had cool-hued flowers grown on the field by the entrance. How nice - a natural doormat!

"Not bad, right?" Nightglaze chuckled, wearing a smug look on his face while urging the others to move on. "I bet you're hungry now. Follow me, my friends."

As the group moved towards the lakeside, other cats from the clan began to emerge from the den, watching them with curious eyes. A tall she-cat with a sleek silver pelt was seen lying by the lake, welcoming them with a warm smile. "I'm Dawnstar. I'm so glad you could join us." Echo couldn't help but notice how gentle her voice was - he doubted that she could even swat a fly!

"Thanks for having us. That's...nice of you." said Zenith in return, staying silent about the incident that had happened back home. The two leaders exchanged greetings before turning to their own cats, forming a circle of sitting felines around a gigantic fresh-kill pile. It seemed that Nightglaze had been correct about the feast, with all kinds of prey stacked up in a mountain almost twice of Echo's height. That's more than enough to put him into a trance. "I'll never have to eat again…" Right now, he could only think about eating. Eating and eating and more eating…and who's there to stop him?

"Ah, there she is! Hazelpaw!" Looking around, Nightglaze smiled as a brown tabby came into view, making her way out of the dens with a freshly-groomed pelt. Her fur seemed to be shimmering under the sunlight, her golden eyes carrying timidness yet also intelligence. "Sorry I'm late."

"Oh no, you're just in time. I've brought the cats from The Hatch! You have a bigger audience now, my sweet."

The cats nearby shifted away and gave way, inviting her to settle down for the meal as well. Now that she was the main focus, Hazelpaw couldn't help but blush and look away from the attention. "Yeah. Well, what's my name now, Nightglaze?"

The deputy turned and glanced at Dawnstar, replying with a casual shrug. Zenith and the others watched on. "Oh, I think it's better for Dawnstar to decide."

Echo silently watched in excitement. A cat being named again! It was such a special experience to him as The Hatch had never worked that way. They'd name the cat upon birth, and that would never change. What would Dawnstar say? Hmm...he looked at her pelt, spotting a clear contrast between her light brown fur and black stripes. Everything seemed to be in a near-perfect balance - she'd probably fit if there were a golden ratio for cats. How about...how about…

"I'd think Hazelstripe sounds decent," said Dawnstar with a thoughtful smile, facing the skies as if she was waiting for Starclan's response. To nobody's surprise, there was none, and she closed her eyes, muttering her name once more. "Hazelstripe...yes, it does have a nice ring to it. Hazelstripe it is."

Seemingly satisfied with her new name, Hazelstripe wore a big cheeky grin before dragging out a large, plump shrew from the fresh-kill pile. "Well then, I guess I can start digging in?"

As they glanced around for a reply, Echo noticed that Nightglaze had been nuzzling and snuggling against a white she-cat in quite an intimate way. Was that his mate? With a soft chuckle, Nightglaze rolled his eyes and pulled away from the she-cat. "Whenever you want."

With the thought tickling the back of his head, Echo quickly interrupted the momentary peace and blurted out with a question. "Is that your mate, Nightglaze?"

Silence.

Expecting a nod and a praise for his observant nature, Echo instead received a barrage of laughter, which made him blush and look down in shame. "Good guess, but not quite. You see, she's my sister - Petalspring, the loveliest she-cat in the world. As her brother, I'd do anything to protect her. So no, she's not my mate. Sorry, buddy."

"Oh...um...sorry."

Hazelstripe noticed how embarrassed Echo felt and quickly diverted everyone's attention. "Well, um, let's eat then! I have the appetite of a warrior now." With a stretch of her legs, she dove down and began chewing on her meal! Everyone else - at least, everyone from Dawnclan - soon moved on and began to join in as well, not wanting to miss out the big feast. Meanwhile, Echo just sat there, respect showing in his eyes. "Thanks…" Muttering a soft thank you, he too began to enjoy the food. Judging by his blissful look, it was soon safe to say that all the shame had been tossed out the window - the food was just fantastic!

As the large feast began to die down, so did everyone's liveliness. The sun had finally set behind the mountains, and the cool evening breeze made everyone a bit drowsy when full. Though, to Echo, this was just perfect. Why couldn't The Hatch be like this? In the midst of small talk between one cat and another, Nightglaze, together with his sister Petalspring, approached him with warm smiles. "Would you all like to stay for the night?" asked Nightglaze. "It's a long trek back."

A sense of unease took over at the offer, and Echo quickly turned to Zenith, who had also heard their conversation. After having a long chat with Dawnstar, she seemed to be at ease now, resembling more of her former self. "Why not? We'd get lost easily if we go back at night."

"Great! Your Echo and Delta can share a den with Hazelstripe since they're about the same age. We'll prepare breakfast tomorrow so you can head back. See? We're not that bad!"

Zenith snorted once more at his self-praise, but this time it was more of a playful huff. "Well, I guess. Thanks."

"Anyway, you two, come with me." Nightglaze wrapped his tail around Echo's back and led the two young'uns towards the furthest den. From the scent, Echo could sense that Hazelstripe had already settled down inside it. But...why was this thought making him blush? To make things worse, the deputy leaned closer to the young gray tabby and whispered playfully into his ear. "Your biggest chance. Go for it, tiger!"

Echo almost panicked, and quickly looked at the ground to hide his glowing red cheeks. Delta was just walking beside him, puzzled by his reaction as Nightglaze laughed and slithered away. What had gotten over Echo? Whatever was happening, she thought that his reaction was cute.

Upon entering the den, the two cats were greeted by a comforting wave of warm damp air. They treaded lightly on the soft bedding and saw Hazelstripe curled up at the back of the den, observing them with her bright, lively eyes. "Oh, you two are staying here? I'm fine with that. I'm Hazelstripe."

"Yeah, I know," said Delta, returning a smile before finding a corner for the two. "I suppose you had a great day?'

"I suppose so. I guess this never happens at The Hatch?"

"No, not really…"

Echo just watched. How could he jump into this conversation?! With a soft sigh, he curled up on his own and closed his eyes, allowing the den's motherly warmth lure him into a pleasant sleep. Maybe one day. Maybe.

Meanwhile…

Sage yawned, stretching and lying down on the cold cement. "Torrent, you should get some sleep."

Torrent shook his head, glancing at tortoiseshell cat with a firm reply. The long-furred cat with a brown pelt wasn't planning on being persuaded. "I'll have to stay awake when they return. They'd probably come back before morning." The winds were getting stronger, and they howled through the night like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves. Flicking his ears in annoyance, Torrent let out a low growl of frustration. "Why are they not back yet? It's been a while."

"What, you feeling paranoid?" Sage questioned with a soft, caring mewl. "You should probably sleep. It'll get you through the night."

"Nah. Nothing can really harm us...though this place really is quite empty and eerie at times."

It was getting a bit too cat-less for the two, and upon sensing someone's presence, the two cats turned and looked at the entrance, eager to greet their leader. "Zenith! Finally"

Beneath the moonlight, a silhouette appeared by the entrance, eyes glowing from afar. Sage waved her paw in return, smiling as her boredom would soon come to an end. "You're back! But um...where's the others?"

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Well here's an extra 1,000 words as compensation~ :P Enjoy!


	5. Breaking Point

**Breaking Point**

* * *

For once, it was a good time to be alive. Two silhouettes could be seen sitting by the lake at sunrise, enjoying the orb's ascent into the golden skies.

"Nightglaze, would you...guide us back to The Hatch?"

Nightglaze tilted his head and gave Zenith a faint smile. He began to groom his paws, letting out a casual reply. "Why not? It's been quite a long time since we've last met; I won't mind staying with you a bit longer."

"Yeah. It's been a long time. Thanks for making me feel better, Nightglaze..." Zenith admitted, shifting away from his smile. "The things that happened many moons ago...you sure you have no grudges?"

Nightglaze pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "None. I'm just glad that Echo and the others are alright, dear."

Zenith, now back to her old self, returned a playful snort. "Of course they'd be fine. I'm still a good leader, you twat. Speaking of Echo, do you think he's awake now?"

"Nnnhhh…hungry..."

Nightglaze chuckled and turned around, watching as the drowsy tom emerged from the dens. "Speak of the devil. If you'd excuse me..." Reaching for a shrew from the shrinking fresh-kill pile, he carried between in his teeth and placed it by Echo's paws. "Here. Eat up."

Echo, still sleepy and only half-awake, looked up at the deputy with a yawn. Then, with a forced nod, he flopped down and began nibbling on the side of his breakfast. "Nnmm...thanks…"

"So, we've finally met! I've always wondered how life is at The Hatch, so please, do enlighten me."

Nightglaze let out a sigh of content and sat down beside him with patient, encouraging eyes. Looking up, Echo shrugged, though he did notice that Nightglaze's eyes were looking quite gentle and...strangely loving at that moment, which was beginning to weird him out. "I mean, it's alright. We hunt like you, but we sleep indoors. Delta is here to play games with me, and I'm still learning how to do a proper hunter's crouch…"

"Well, remind me to teach you one day." Nightglaze mused. "You, Delta and the others can drop by at any moment."

"I'll keep that in mind. Hunting isn't really my specialty though."

"Oh really? It's not my forte either, but I do contribute in other ways. One day, you'll find something that would lead you to success."

"Well we don't exactly have deputies, but we do have a scout if that's what you mean."

"Anything, Echo. Anything you'd want to be-"

"Hey, sorry to interrupt," Zenith approached the two from behind and stepped in, smiling a bit more than before, "But we should probably be going now. So are you bringing Petalspring and Hazelstripe for some sight-seeing?"

"Ah, yes. Definitely. I'll guide you back to your territory once I find Petalspring."

Had Echo heard that correctly? Hazelstripe! Oh boy! Echo's stomach began to tingle at the thought of the she-cat, and he swore that he hadn't eaten anything rotten at the feast! There was just something different about her aura that seemed to be reeling him in, though he couldn't exactly put a paw on it. Perhaps it was her-

"Boo!"

Echo yelped and shot up in surprise, shuddering at the deafening shout that sounded from behind. His fur was bristling with shock, but said shock quickly turned to frustration then to joy when he identified the familiar culprit. "H-Hazelstripe! Sheesh! No need to scare me like that…"

"I don't know. I'd say she's done a good job." Delta chimed in with a smirk, padding along with a proud stride while Hazelstripe giggled at the tom's reply. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah. Probably shouldn't keep Torrent and Sage waiting. Let's go."

The entrance of the warehouse looked extra eerie today, even to those that lived there. The large rusty skeleton simply stood in place, almost as if it was waiting to engulf them all. Seemingly eager to give the others a tour, Zenith stopped by the gate and turned to the visitors. "Well, I'm sure Nightglaze has seen this already, but this is it - The Hatch."

Hazelstripe and Petalspring padded forward and glanced around, wincing at the intimidating chains that dangled from the ceiling. The young gray tabby was beginning to worry. "There's a lot of sharp corners around here. The...'things' aren't natural."

"It'll take a while to get used to twoleg material, but it's not bad. Plus, it shelters us from the heavy rain," said Delta while beaming with pride. "Nothing can penetrate it! Anyway, I wonder where Torrent and Sage are..."

As the introduction continued, Echo spotted Petalspring standing at a corner, frowning with a sense of unease. Curiosity soon took over, and he silently made his way towards the she-cat. "Hey um…Petalspring, right? Something wrong?"

"Oh, no, I'm fine."

"You sure? You look quite troubled."

Petalspring's nose wriggled, her eyes shifting from left to right. "B...Blood. Is that normal?"

"What?"

Feeling a little more certain, she said it once again, this time with her voice resonating across the large empty space. "I smell the scent of blood."

Everyone froze. Then, Delta's gasp soon broken the heavy silent air. "T-Torrent! Sage! No!"

Struck by a sense of dread, Zenith, Zephyr and Echo quickly ran towards Delta's call, joining her side at the corner of the room. There, under the faint yellow light of the warehouse lamps, two cats lied above a pool of red, their pelts painted a new coat of crimson. Both were limp; lifeless.

Refusing to see anymore, Delta quickly ran away and crashed into Echo's side, her head pressing against his neck while holding in a sob. "N-not again...I thought everything was fine…t-they were lovers..."

Echo's face darkened at the sight, nuzzling back against the sulking she-cat. Glancing at the bodies, he noted how the two cats were locked in a tight embrace even after their demise. Their eyes were shut, unlike Serene's, suggesting that they had slowly bled to death while holding onto one another. The thought of someone doing this to a couple...an innocent pair of lovers… "A...and that's why they're holding each other at their final moments. Whoever's done this is a monster. R-right, Zenith?"

Upon seeing the she-cat, Echo gulped. "Zenith?" There was no reply. She stared at the lifeless comrades with a blank expression then turned around, storming at the speechless, stunned Dawnclan cats. "What have you all done?!"

"We did nothing!' Hazelstripe, although just as puzzled and offended as the rest, was the first to retaliate. "We were with you!"

"Some of the Dawnclan cats weren't there last night! Ferntail! That's the name, right?" she demanded with a murderous glare, pacing back and forth in attempt to hold her boiling anger. Holding onto Delta, Echo could only watch as his leader reverted to her paranoid, anger-driven self. "Zenith-"

"What makes you think that we've done this? This is tragic…" said Petalspring with a look of detest, stepping back instinctively from the raging she-cat. "Nobody in Dawnclan would do this."

"Then why did you keep us there for the night? That'd give your culprit enough time to do the dirty work!"

Nightglaze winced at her accusation and looked away. "Dear, it's just a coincidence. I...I didn't expect this to happen. If you'd please listen…"

His own line was cut short as Zenith unsheathed her claws, taking a pawstep forward with the intention of ripping his throat out. "Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you-"

Echo panicked - this was deja-vu all over again! "Zenith, calm down! Please! There's no use blaming Dawnclan for everything! They might be our last hope!"

Zenith's glared at the tom from behind her shoulder. He could see a thousand emotions racing through her mind. "You…you're taking his side? Over mine?"

"Look at Delta! She's had enough! She wants this to end, and blaming Dawnclan isn't going to help!" Echo hollered, anger burning within his own eyes. Nightglaze, surprised yet proud, retreated to Petalspring and Hazelstripe's side, brushing his tail along their backs as comfort.

"...I...I see." Zenith's withdrew her claws and turned around, ears and tail drooped in grief. Then, with a faint sad chuckle, she shook her head. "I've…I've been a bad leader, haven't I? You've helped me realize that. You out of all cats."

Echo's eyes widened. "What? No! And what'd you mean by that?"

"I've been paranoid lately, but the dream...everything else...it's driving me insane. I'm...I'm sorry. You need someone that's more composed. Someone more sane."

Confused beyond compare, Echo was lost for words. If only he could understand what she had been suffering for so long… "I never knew what's bothering you...and why you're so scared of Dawnclan...but, I wish I can understand…"

Zenith sighed, "You're too young for that." The leader then turned to Zephyr, who stared back in return with a grim look on her face. They, being cats with power, knew what was next. "Zephyr. T-take care of the others. I'm not going to stand here, responsible for another cat's death. Nor am I going to let past events get the best of me."

Zephyr nodded curtly. "You're leaving."

Holding back soft sniffles, Delta pulled away from Echo's pelt and rubbed her eyes with the back of her paw. "You can't survive on your own out there! You'll die!"

"Then it'll be karma's way of finally punishing me for what I deserve." Teary eyed, Zenith gave everyone a final glance, memorizing their beloved faces; they'd probably be the last cats that she'd see. "...Farewell."

"No!"

Echo cried out in anguish and chased after his leader, only to be held back as Nightglaze grabbed him by the scruff. "Wait! Don't leave! I-I don't even know what you did wrong! You've never done anything wrong!"

Watching as Echo break down under his constraint, the silver tabby looked down with compassionate eyes. "There's a lot that I can tell you...but now is not the time. We can't stop her guilt and grief from taking over - she's been through a lot." Watching as Zenith disappeared from sight, Nightglaze too began to tremble. "May Starclan be with her...until the very end.

"Goodbye, my friend."

With her paws feeling sore, Zenith's ended her trek at the side of a calm, unfamiliar lake. There, she flopped down with tired, half-opened eyes, gazing up at the cloudless skies. Her whereabouts was unknown - she had travelled far away from either camp on purpose. Now...she was a nobody - just a broken she-cat with no direction in life. After all this, what else could she be? She had lost everything and she could never turn back.

"Serene...Torrent...Sage…" she muttered under her breath, clawing random images onto the muddy sand. Zenith couldn't get get over the fact that her clumsiness and paranoia had led to casualties among all else. They were probably with Starclan right now, cursing at her and wishing that she'd be dead. The stars...they were weeping. And Nightglaze...Nightglaze...the guilt was breaking her. Everytime she looked into Echo's eyes, the burden of her heart simply worsened tenfold. She could almost swear that it was killing her from the inside.

And that's what she'll do right now. To return the favor. To satisfy the cats that wanted her gone.

But...was this the right thing to do? Was it right to leave the others? Her new family? Poor Echo...he barely knew what happened. He was so young...a lively kit, just like Delta...and they all had so much potential!

"Starclan...you would forgive me right?"

A shooting star streaked across the skies, disappearing beyond the horizon. Was that a sign of forgiveness? Lightening up a bit, she took in a deep breath. "I need to go back. I need to start again. Starclan would help me. I would recover from my paranoia. I'll confront Nightglaze and..."

Slowly heaving herself up to her paws, Zenith was taken by surprise as a dark gray tom strolled into view, staring at her without saying a word. He stopped beside her and gazed at the peaceful view, seemingly uncaring whether she wanted him there or not. Looking closer, she noticed that his left eye had gone blind, a glazed golden hue clouding above his iris. Though, his other functioning eye failed to carry any emotion either.

After sharing the silence for a few moments, he finally broke the silence. "...Zenith, yes? You do have an interesting backstory. I like that."

"Don't remind me about it," she replied, staring into the water as well. "I almost killed myself thinking about it."

"Oh?"

Zenith sighed. "How much do you know?"

Despite knowing most of the story, the large tom let out a low chuckle. "Not too much, I'm afraid. Only that you were born before the birth of Dawnclan...and your new home as well."

"Well...many moons ago, my aging father Dusktail, he...he wanted to start a clan. A clan for everyone." she began, much to the cat's amusement. "As his daughter I...I thought I was going to be the leader of this new group, but when Nightglaze and his lover Dawnlight were chosen instead, I couldn't take it."

The tom snorted, wearing a sly, satisfied grin. "You didn't take that very well, did you?"

Zenith blinked. "You were watching?"

"Indeed. Watching silently, but watching nonetheless."

"Then I guess you remember what I did," she sighed, eyes glowing with regret. She was a stubborn she-cat back then, never listening to anyone else. Upon knowing that Dawnlight would be the leader of the new clan, Dawnclan, she was overtaken by jealousy. "I...I still can't believe I did that."

"Yes…?" He urged her on.

"I...I was so angry. Angry at my father. At Nightglaze and his stupid girlfriend. I started to convince other cats to come with me, to start our own group. Zephyr was one of them. Then, seeing that they couldn't care less...I...I killed their first batch of kits...all except for one - Echo. I took him away, holding him by the scruff of his neck as he cried all the way back home. Nightglaze told me not to - he told me that things would end badly...but...I didn't listen." Zenith couldn't handle it. All the past memories were flooding into her mind, every single wrong turn she had made just to have her revenge...

"Echo's such a pitiful little thing, isn't he? Born without knowing who his real parents were...raised in a hellhole…"

Zenith couldn't get herself to fight back; The Hatch really had been a hellhole, hadn't it? "I thought that I could make a clan better than his. But...I guess it's not enough…"

"And poor Nightglaze…" the tom continued, gently wrapping his tail around her back to show sympathy. The plan was working. "Losing five other kits...and he barely gets to see his son."

"T-that's why I was worried. I was worried that he'll come to take Echo back. I…I care about him too much now; he's like a son to me."

"No, Nightglaze never wanted to do that - he didn't want to bring even more drama into his son's life. Yet you've been accusing him and avoiding him for so many moons."

Zenith felt terrible. Even after what she had done to Nightglaze, he never hated her? He held no grudges for the sake of his son? "I just feel so guilty every day...and...these recent deaths haven't helped, either. It...it's scaring me. Hey...who are you anyway?"

"I suppose you can call me Blight," he answered, seemingly satisfied by her reply. "And hm...scaring, you say? Then I suppose I've been doing a good job."

"W-What do you mean?"

"It wasn't easy being half-blind," said the tom with a low grunt. An ember of rage grew within the depths of his eyes. "Nobody needed me. To them, I was an obstacle. A burden. They had no respect for me.

"And, as I grew...I told myself, '_What should I do to gain respect? For everyone to know me?' _

"Fear. Fear was the only way. People tremble when they hear my name. At last, I would be important. Don't you think that fearing someone also means that you respect the cat's power?"

Zenith frowned, but eventually nodded. "I...I suppose so. Fear isn't the best way to control a clan, but it still works."

"See? You understand me,' said Blight, flashing her a grin before continuing. "Since then, I've traversed the area, visiting various clans and learning the lives of their cats," he let out a light, sinister chuckle. "The more I knew about them, the easier it was to exploit their weaknesses. None of them knew why I was there. They thought I was a spawn from Hell, created just to destroy. They were crying, questioning their beloved Starclan: why would they let paranoia and fear cripple their lives and make them restless at night? There was no reply. There's never going to be a reply. The fear in their eyes feed me, and the hopelessness they have completes me. Only then will they understand."

Blight reached for a lush green leaf and snapped it from its branch, resting it gently on his paw. Isolated from the rest of the plant, the leaf began to curl and age, a black, mold-like substance slowly taking over from its side. It slithered across the surface like a disease, spreading, breeding, growing. The leaf's tissue began to collapse inwards, shriveling and browning before Zenith's very eyes.

"Do you see this? It's blight," he explained, watching in amusement. "Cats, when isolated from the others, also shrivel and die, just like this leaf. And the others? They watch, helpless, hopeless. I know that feeling. We all know that feeling. Guilt...grief...it comes to you and strikes you right in the chest. Then...nothing would be the same anymore. You're a different cat.

"You were just like that, Zenith - a shadow of your former self. I suppose we have that in common, don't you think? So, from that day onward, I've decided to turn shadows against their own masters. To let fear corrupt themselves. The death of a few cats were only tools of a bigger plan."

"_The end of one begins the end of all, and the name of shadows will one day crack the skies."_

Zenith's tone grew bitter in defeat. "You're the one. You're the one that's done it all."

"And you're the only one that knows why. Not that it matters."

"You're a monster."

"You are not in position to talk, Zenith," he purred, circling her with his penetrating stare. "You've killed, I've killed...kits...warriors…jealousy…your clumsy mistakes are killing your own cats - the newest one came in a pair!"

Zenith's fur bristled. "Are you saying that I'm a monster just like you? I'd rather die right here."

His smile grew into a wide smirk, one that made her shudder in place. "Wasn't that your plan?"

Seeing that Zenith had no comeback, Blight began to walk away, his chilling laugh tickling the back of her spine. "At least this world would have one less monster tonight."

"One less monster…" she said, stepping forward with a paw within the water. He was right. She had caused enough harm to the world already, and if he wasn't going to fade anytime soon, then at least she could do the world a favor. "...Hey. At least...try not to kill Nightglaze. I owe him, don't I? And Echo too."

Blight didn't even look back, a smug look on his face. "No promises."

"...Very well. My...my burden ends tonight, then."

'_Torrent, Sage, Serene...Echo...Nightglaze...father...I hope you'll forgive me. I've ruined your lives, and here's my compromise.' _

Blight simply purred. "Goodbye, Zenith." With a swish of his tail, Blight slithered through the opening of ferns, closing his eyes to enjoy the moment of success. In his mind, he respected Zenith the most - for that, he decided to manipulate her into a more peaceful end; for that, she wouldn't feel that she'd died in vain..

Ripples coursed across the mirror-like lake - mild chaos in the midst of peace. Starclan left no traces behind for this brave, grief-struck warrior, covering familiar pawprints with mud and sand. Nobody would disturb her slumber. Then, after a barrage of rebellious wavelets from the depths of blue, all was calm beneath the water, just like before, as if a cat's life-long burden had finally dissolved into the vast, navy sea.

* * *

**Author's Note: **This is probably the longest and one of the saddest chapters. Hope it's good!


End file.
